I believe that Goold’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 is better than Polanski’s. This is because Polanski’s version shows Banquo’s ghost too bloody and more like a zombie which is not needed. However, Goold dresses Banquo’s ghost as bloody but not too much.
In Goold’s movie, Banquo appears from the other side of the banquet hall, climbs onto the table and starts walking towards Macbeth. The lighting, music and atmosphere change as an angry Banquo walks towards Macbeth to haunt him. The intense music makes it more suspenseful and interesting. In Polanski’s version, Macbeth walks in and sees a dead yet living Banquo staring at him. In this scene, there is no intense music or any lighting change which doesn’t make the scene look good.

I also think that the acting in Polanski’s version is not very good as I’m not as interested in it. I don’t think that the actor playing Macbeth does his job very well. In Goold’s version, the actor playing Macbeth is very good because of the way he speaks and how he acts when he sees Banquo. Lady Macbeth also does a good job of acting when she tries to control Macbeth from going absolutely crazy and settling down the guests. She fits more into Lady Macbeth’s role than the other actor in Polanski’s version.

Another thing is the sound effects and the editing. Polanski’s version of Act 3 Scene 4 has bad editing. The only editing is when the screens goes from a dark room with Banquo’s ghost and the actual room with all the guests. In Goold’s play, the sound effects are very good which makes the scene more intense. The editing in Goold’s scene is better because of the way it shows the difference between the actual banquet hall and what Macbeth sees.

Overall, Goold’s adaptation of Act 3 Scene 4 is better than Polanski’s. The acting, sound effects, lighting, music is all much better. However, this may be because Polanski’s version may have been made before Goold’s which means the technology was better.